diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb
index 62bdf0483a64..4ef3cc698bdf 100755
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb
@@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@ def reset_column_information_and_inheritable_attributes_for_all_subclasses#:nodo
         subclasses.each { |klass| klass.reset_inheritable_attributes; klass.reset_column_information }
       end
 
-      def self_and_descendents_from_active_record#nodoc:
+      def self_and_descendants_from_active_record#nodoc:
         klass = self
         classes = [klass]
         while klass != klass.base_class  
@@ -1364,7 +1364,7 @@ def self_and_descendents_from_active_record#nodoc:
       # module now.
       # Specify +options+ with additional translating options.
       def human_attribute_name(attribute_key_name, options = {})
-        defaults = self_and_descendents_from_active_record.map do |klass|
+        defaults = self_and_descendants_from_active_record.map do |klass|
           :"#{klass.name.underscore}.#{attribute_key_name}"
         end
         defaults << options[:default] if options[:default]
@@ -1379,7 +1379,7 @@ def human_attribute_name(attribute_key_name, options = {})
       # Default scope of the translation is activerecord.models
       # Specify +options+ with additional translating options.
       def human_name(options = {})
-        defaults = self_and_descendents_from_active_record.map do |klass|
+        defaults = self_and_descendants_from_active_record.map do |klass|
           :"#{klass.name.underscore}"
         end 
         defaults << self.name.humanize
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
index ba60180ae053..4e084f071c40 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def generate_message(attribute, message = :invalid, options = {})
 
       message, options[:default] = options[:default], message if options[:default].is_a?(Symbol)
 
-      defaults = @base.class.self_and_descendents_from_active_record.map do |klass| 
+      defaults = @base.class.self_and_descendants_from_active_record.map do |klass|
         [ :"models.#{klass.name.underscore}.attributes.#{attribute}.#{message}", 
           :"models.#{klass.name.underscore}.#{message}" ]
       end